With the end of the year approaching momentum and motivation seem harder to maintain. With fatigue setting in, it can be tough to stay focused. But it’s not all doom and gloom. As we approach the final stretch of the year, we can take simple, intentional actions to reignite our energy and keep ourselves—and our teams—moving forward. In this Coaching Café, we’ll explore practical tips and strategies to keep the momentum alive, even when things feel tough. Together, we'll discuss how we ca...

"Have you ever felt like you’re not getting it ‘perfectly’ right as a coach?" The truth is, no one ever does. Perfection isn’t the goal. Instead, it’s about showing up consistently—being present for your coachees, staying engaged in the process, and continuously growing as a coach. It’s not about having all the answers, but about creating a space where growth happens, even through imperfection. In past Coaching Café sessions, we’ve explored real coaching scenarios, from working...

‘I’m not sure it’s my role’, was a comment we received recently during a presentation on mental health conversations in the workplace. We may notice that a work colleague or client is not their normal self. Perhaps their behaviour has changed or the language they are using and their demeanour is different. But the person in the workshop was worried that they didn’t really ‘feel it was their place’ to approach the person. It's not uncommon to wonder whether it’s your job ...

Breaking down the barriers to mental health conversations in the workplace Thursday 10th October marks World Mental Health Day (WMHD) 2024 in Australia and the WHO states that World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to ‘raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilise efforts in the support of mental health.’ And the official theme of WMHD is: It is Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace At Open Door we are obviously super happy to hear this...

‘Have you ever had anyone cry in the coaching session?’ The answer is yes, it does happen. Not too often. But whether it is disappointment, frustration, anger or alternatively joy, relief or enthusiasm, in our coaching practice in the workplace, we need to be aware of how to manage strong emotions, in our coachees and in ourselves. We have covered a number of topics over the past weeks to explore real workplace coaching scenarios, including: coaching whe...

‘These tools are really great, but can you use the tools to coach someone who is under-performing?’It’s another question that we often get asked during our coaching programs and we have a very strong opinion on the answer, which is:YES. In fact, coaching could be the ‘make or break’ difference between an increase or further decline in a person’s performance.With this in mind, join us for this Coaching Café where we continue our theme of Coaching Cafes: exploring very real workplace coaching s...

‘These tools are really great, but can you use the tools to coach upwards?’ It’s a question that we get asked often during our coaching programs. And it always comes with a sense of hesitation or concern.Of course, we say that you can coach upwards, downwards and sidewards, but how feasible is that? Should I coach upwards? Can I coach upwards? Do these tools work upwards? And what if you are in a hierarchical organisation? With this in mind, join us for this Coaching Café where we contin...

We have covered a number of topics over the past weeks to explore real workplace coaching scenarios, including: coaching when people have too much on their plates, coaching when you know the answers and coaching ‘when it is easier to do it myself’. Throughout these conversations we have explored the role of coaching, coaching principles and ICF competencies and great coaching questions. Following on from this, another scenario we often get asked about is: when is it not the ...

It’s a real struggle in our workplaces right now. Leaders and managers and their teams are overwhelmed by their workload. Therefore, rather than coach people to grow and develop and give someone a learning opportunity, we hear people say: ‘it really is easier to deal with that pressing matter myself’.Or perhaps they have tried coaching, and then we hear ‘coaching doesn’t work because an employee is not responding, so rather than coaching them, it’s easier to do it myself’.We all know we need ...

It’s a question that we get often in our Leader as Coach or introductory coaching workshops that goes something along the lines of: ‘Coaching is great. Asking them for options is great. But what if I know the answer?.’ The question is usually followed by an explanation about how the person asking the question is a subject matter expert and knows the way forward. Or perhaps there’s no time for coaching. Alternatively, a worry or concern about the options generated by the coach...

We are back LIVE this week after our sun chasing, so join us for this 30 minute Coaching Café where we kick off a new round of Coaching Cafes: exploring very real workplace coaching scenarios.And since working out priorities because ‘I’ve got too much on your plate’ is a very common topic in workplace coaching; let’s see how to approach the scenario. Particularly when as the coach you have the feeling that the client has way too much on their plate. But you can’t say that, and jump into the s...

Over the past few weeks in our Coaching Café we have been bringing the ICF Core Competencies to life, particularly by unpacking coaching demonstrations. And we have been delighted with the interaction and increasing numbers of people joining us from all around the world, to explore how they can grow their coaching awareness and competency. We have taken a deeper dive into the more subtle ICF competencies, for example: #4 Cultivates Trust and Safety, #5 Maintains Presence and #7 Ev...

Over the past two weeks in our Coaching Café we were delighted to bring you another opportunity to learn from a coaching demonstration. By listening to another coaching demonstration by Brigitte, we build on the foundations that we have been exploring over the past few weeks, and hear the ICF Core Competencies come to life.On Friday 31st may we explore the difference between ACC and PCC coaching. Building on this, join us this week in the Coaching Café we as debrief the recording ...

Last week in our Coaching Café we were delighted to bring you another opportunity to learn from a coaching demonstration. By listening to another coaching demonstration by Brigitte, we build on the foundations that we have been exploring over the past few weeks, and hear the ICF Core Competencies come to life. This week for the Coaching Café, join us we as debrief the recording through the lens of the ICF Core Competencies and in particular the difference between ACC and PCC coachi...

International Coaching Week gives us an opportunity to reflect on ourselves as coaches and on our workplace coaching practice. And one of the best ways to do this is to listen to great coaching. In fact, one of the most popular requests we receive is for coaching demonstrations; in particular for PCC or MCC level coaching.Therefore, in this very special presentation as we listen to coaching by Brigitte Calvert our Learning and Development Manager. We will do this through the lens ...

As an Alumni we enjoy listening and learning from the experts. In particular, Open Door has a reputation of introducing and exposing our Alumni to international speakers and leaders in the field of workplace coaching. This presentation celebrating International Coaching Week continues this tradition.Listen to this very special presentation for International Coaching Week, as Natalie interviews Professor Emerita Andrea D. Ellinger, from The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX.Watch the web...

Firstly, thanks to all of you who joined us for our SUPER TUESDAY International Coaching Week events and for all your feedback. We hope that you learned and celebrated as much as week did, as we listened to the pioneers in coaching academic research, Professor Emerita Andrea D. Ellinger and Professor Grace McCarthy, along with a coaching demonstration from our very own Learning and Development Manager, Brigitte Calvert, PCC. You can catch up on the presentations on our blog or podcast.Secondl...

We know that every coaching session needs to include the question ‘what do you want to achieve?’ (or some form of that question). We are taught that from day one of our coaching education. And from an ICF Core Competency perspective it is a critical part of establishing the coaching agreement. But we also know there’s more to establishing and maintaining a coaching agreement than just this question.Therefore, building on our theme of exploring the ‘ICF Core Competencies’, this week in t...

Developing a coaching mindset is a key outcome of all coaching programs. We want people to walk out of coach training program having developed a coaching mindset…or least being open to a coaching mindset or on their way. And it’s not something that is a given, or that we can take for granted. Nor is coaching mindset fully understood, hence Natalie including it as part of her Doctorate studies. Therefore, building on our theme of exploring the ‘ICF Core Competencies’, this week in the Coa...

In the assessment of a coaching demonstration (known as the ICF Performance Evaluation) across the different levels of ICF credential, the competency of ‘Demonstrates Ethical Practice’ clearly states what a ‘fail’ would look like – that is, where a credential at any level would be denied. With this in mind, we are digging back into our theme of exploring the ‘ICF Core Competencies’, specifically around ethics. This series is perfectly timed in the lead up to International Coach Week (13t...

Over the past few weeks in our Coaching Café we’ve been out exploring the ‘wild west’ of coaching. In particular, the use of AI in Coaching.This week in our Coaching Cafe we return to our core, by kicking off a new theme around the ‘ICF Core Competencies’. This series is perfectly timed in the lead up to International Coach Week (13th – 19th May 2024), to give us an opportunity to reflect on ourselves as coaches and on our workplace coaching practice. We start the series with an explora...

We hope you had a refreshing and energising break!    This week in our Coaching Cafe Podcast we summarise our discussion on the use of AI in Coaching, including: the pros and cons of AI; how the use of AI can make our coaching better; and answer the big question around ‘will AI replace us as coaches?’.  Join Natalie and Paula Jones-Hunt our Resident HR Specialist for this interactive Coaching Café discussion as we present the research, current thinking and of course, open up the discussion to...

‘What if AI can make my coaching better?’, I asked.  ‘What would that look like? What difference would that make to my coaching?’.  ‘Only one way to find out!’ I thought, ‘let’s put it to the test’. This week in our Coaching Cafe we continue to discuss a key trend in coaching: the use of AI in coaching. And we turn our thinking to: how we can use AI for continuous improvement in our coaching – specifically to make us better coaches.  And to do this we will take Natalie’s actual transcripts of...

‘That resume was clearly written by AI’, said one of our clients recently. ‘The issue is that when the candidate interviewed, they were terrible….that’s where good coaching questions come into it’. Last week we kicked off a new round of discussions in the Coaching Cafe specifically thinking about the impact of AI on coaching. This week we explore the intersect between AI, HR and quality coaching questions. By the way, we are not trying to catch people out.  We are trying to maximise the...